Diesel vs gas

[Oilburner]

1. Oil changes - Mopar coupons don’t apply and they charge a premium for the filter
If you do your own maint. this is a non-issue. My 3.0 uses 2 gallons of oil. Not sure what you mean about filter prices - see pic below directly off of RockAuto I usually get the AC Delco one.

2. Diesel fuel/water separator filter replacement - PITA to replace on your own
If you can work a phillips screwdriver, draining the filters every 30K miles is not hard. You do have to buy filters (2 of them) when you replace them tho.

3. DEF freezes at 8° thus DEF system issues in cold climates
Um OK. I guess they don't run diesel anywhere it gets that cold - not like there isn't cold-climate DEF.

4. Finding cheap DEF when you need it is a PITA
You fill the DEF tank when you change the oil = every 10K miles. Just plan ahead & buy some in between when you see it on sale, or Walmart is pretty cheap. You can even purchase it out of a pump at many truckstops (even cheaper)

5. Higher fuel costs vs. actual MPG savings
As long as diesel is no more than 30% higher than gasoline I usually come out ok. Right now I am averaging 29mpg in my GC. (Could do better if I kept it under 80)

6. Turbo lag - for best results, better MPG and reduced lag, you really need to swap the PCM
I have driven turbodiesels since the 90's and have never had any issue with 'turbo lag' if you experience this, you are trying to drive your diesel like a gas engine. Roll into the throttle, not stomp it.

Diesels are not for everyone, they require more attention & cost more but these points above seem pretty lame to me. If they strike home for you, then by all means buy a gas engine & have a good life. For those who value the towing power & range it is worth it - otherwise they would not have sold over half a million light diesels last year. I agree modern diesels are way too complex and there have been issues with the emissions systems on many of the early applications, but they are getting better.

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[Vegas_Sirk]

For me its simple. I HATE the drivability of the V6 in my JKU and while the 8-speed in the new one helps a little, its not enough. If my only option is the V6 I won't buy another Jeep so the diesel is the only thing keeping me holding on.

Now if FCA offered something similar to Ford's Ecoboost motor then I wouldn't even look at a diesel, but thats not an option.

 

[RedTRex]

For me its simple. I HATE the drivability of the V6 in my JKU and while the 8-speed in helps a little its not enough. If my only option is the V6 I won't buy another Jeep so the diesel is the only thing keeping me holding on.

Now if FCA offered something similar to Ford's Ecoboost motor then I wouldn't even look at a diesel, but thats not an option.

My thoughts exactly! i would not buy a new Jeep with the same boring V6.

 

[Fcmalie]

One of the reasons I'm glad I have to wait is the possibility of the straight 6 turbo being released in the next couple years, and a chance to test drive the diesel. If neither of those options win me over might look at just supercharging the 3.6.

 

[Sorbs]

Diesels are not for everyone, they require more attention & cost more but these points above seem pretty lame to me. If they strike home for you, then by all means buy a gas engine & have a good life. For those who value the towing power & range it is worth it - otherwise they would not have sold over half a million light diesels last year. I agree modern diesels are way too complex and there have been issues with the emissions systems on many of the early applications, but they are getting better.

I was asked a question and answered. Some of us are here to help other forum members but others just like to start crap for some reason.

I’ve 75k miles on my EcoDiesel. If it were available today at the same cost as the 3.6L I’d consider it again but anyone waiting to pay $3 to 5k more to have one in their Gladiator should just know you should set aside another $2k for an extended warranty.

Also note, the ROI and resale hasn’t been there for either the GC or Ram.

 

[Nick1941]

For me its simple. I HATE the drivability of the V6 in my JKU and while the 8-speed in the new one helps a little, its not enough. If my only option is the V6 I won't buy another Jeep so the diesel is the only thing keeping me holding on.

Now if FCA offered something similar to Ford's Ecoboost motor then I wouldn't even look at a diesel, but thats not an option.

Honestly our JL feels really good with the 8 speed, the ecodiesel might have great tq numbers and mpg but the issues associated with modern day diesels scare me...

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

Honestly our JL feels really good with the 8 speed, the ecodiesel might have great tq numbers and mpg but the issues associated with modern day diesels scare me...

I test drove one and IMO its meh. Its better then my JKU but not considerably better. Add steel bumpers, winch, 37s, lift, bed rack and overlanding gear and its a turd. The diesel wont be affected near as much by the weight of the gear and hopefully keep drivability closer to stock. If thats the case then its worth the extra moola and maintenance.

 

[WXman]

The only thing I will add is this is Gen 2 of the EcoD coming out......hoping the complaints you guys have mentioned are corrected in the update.

I'd like to know exactly what they revised on the Gen 2 engine. Did they address the engines seizing up? Did they fix the camshaft sprocket issue? Is the Gen 2 engine going to actually be a 100,000+ mile engine? I'm going to have to see evidence before I'll even consider it after what I've seen with the Gen 1 engine.

 

[hoch]

I test drove one and IMO its meh. Its better then my JKU but not considerably better. Add steel bumpers, winch, 37s, lift, bed rack and overlanding gear and its a turd. The diesel wont be affected near as much by the weight of the gear and hopefully keep drivability closer to stock. If thats the case then its worth the extra moola and maintenance.

But you could achieve the same with regear, for a whole lot less $ (diesel premium).

Moot point for me, though. They don't offer the diesel with manual.

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

But you could achieve the same with regear, for a whole lot less $ (diesel premium).

Moot point for me, though. They don't offer the diesel with manual.

Regear helps a little but not enough. I put 4.88 in my JKU and its still underwhelming

 

[hoch]

Regear helps a little but not enough. I put 4.88 in my JKU and its still underwhelming

I saw a recent Way@life vid where they regeared to 5.13 and said it was close to stock feel. Diesel definitely has that torque, though, that no gas engine can match. If you value that, there is probably no alternative, unless Jeep comes out with a fantastic turbo gas engine like Ford F150. I like the torque and range of the diesels, but with all the baggage they come with, no interest from me.

 

[RedTRex]

I'd like to know exactly what they revised on the Gen 2 engine. Did they address the engines seizing up? Did they fix the camshaft sprocket issue? Is the Gen 2 engine going to actually be a 100,000+ mile engine? I'm going to have to see evidence before I'll even consider it after what I've seen with the Gen 1 engine.

Well, a couple of sites mention this...... but that doesn't address the compliants of cam gear slipping or mains spinning bearings

The announced output rating for the new engine is: 260 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. This is 20 more horses and 22 more lb-ft of torque than the original 3.0-liter EcoDiesel. The new engine will offer Engine Stop-Start (ESS) as standard, and it will be mated to a new/upgraded 8-speed automatic transmission.

How did FCA and Jeep get the additional power? Minimizing internal engine friction is the name of the game. Jeep says, the upgrades include the following.

• new turbocharger with a low-friction bearing.
• low friction pistons (for improved fuel economy and reduced emissions)
• new injector nozzles
• new piston “bowl” design
• new glow plug design with integrated combustion pressure sensor to optimize combustion

 

[BeepBeepIAmAJeep]

What made me steer clear of wanting the eco diesel, and trust me, it was hard, was that I had seen a few reports of the ecodiesel has subpar quality crankshaft bearings and that at 150k miles, the bearings effectively exploded causing severe engine damage (to which FCA put out a recall or whatever simply saying to use a lighter weight oil or something to that extent). At that point I was like nope, no thank you. And since there is a good chance a fully loaded Rubicon with a diesel could push people to 70-80k after taxes, more expensive fuel, (potentially) more expensive registration, lower towing rating, and the headaches that exist from all the emissions control... yes, I'd rather just put a turbo on the pentastar to get closer to the diesel fuel economy/range.

 

[Sorbs]

Regear helps a little but not enough. I put 4.88 in my JKU and its still underwhelming

Felt the same with my 2013 JKUR. With bigger tires the 5-spd tranny couldn't keep up. It was better with a SuperChips tuner and 91 octane but the transmission is slow and unresponsive.

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

I saw a recent Way@life vid where they regeared to 5.13 and said it was close to stock feel. Diesel definitely has that torque, though, that no gas engine can match. If you value that, there is probably no alternative, unless Jeep comes out with a fantastic turbo gas engine like Ford F150. I like the torque and range of the diesels, but with all the baggage they come with, no interest from me.

5.13 are too high with 35s. Your going to be at 4,500+ on the freeway and long trips will have you gassing up 2 hours.

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